Method for backing up data stored in a mobile phone

ABSTRACT

This invention relates to a method of backing up data in a mobile telephone, in which data is transmitted from the telephone device to a storage means via a telephone network. The invention extends to a telephone device having a transmitting means for transmitting data. The device is optionally provided with application software for controlling connection to a back up facility and the transfer of data to and from the back up storage means. The back up facility has a receiving data from the telephone device via the telephone network and a storage means.

This invention relates to the backing up of data from mobile telephonedevices and the restoration of data thereto.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a methodof backing up data in a mobile telephone device, which includes

-   -   transmitting data from the telephone device to a storage means        via a telephone network.

Further according to the first aspect of the invention there is provideda telephone device which includes

-   -   a transmitting means for transmitting data in the telephone        device to a back up storage means via a telephone network.

The device may be a personal digital assistant (PDA) with telephoneconnectivity.

The data may be resident in a memory module of the telephone device orin an auxiliary memory module, such as a SIM card, associated with thetelephone device.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a methodof backing up data from a mobile telephone device, which includes

-   -   receiving data from the telephone device via a telephone        network; and    -   storing the data on a back up storage means.

Further according to the second aspect of the invention there isprovided a back up facility for backing up data from a mobile telephonedevice, which includes

-   -   a receiving means for receiving data from the telephone device        via a telephone network; and    -   a storage means for storing the received data.

The data may be backed up automatically. This may be triggered by aninitiating means in the telephone device or at the back up facility.

The invention extends to application software for the telephone devicefor controlling connection to the back up facility and the transfer ofdata to and from the back up storage means. The software may be suppliedto the telephone device from the back up facility, also via thetelephone network.

The telephone network may be a cellular network.

Data may be transferred to and from the telephone device by means ofSMS, GPRS, GSM Data Call, or any other suitable way, depending on thetype of network used. The software may be supplied to the telephonedevice in a similar manner. The software may also be downloaded via awireless network, such as BlueTooth, or from the internet, or viainfrared. The back up procedure may also be initiated from the back upfacility by means of an SMS message, or the like.

Data may be transferred in an encrypted manner. Thus, the software mayhave encryption and de-cryption capability.

The telephone device may be a simple handset, or it may be moresophisticated and have other functionalities, such as a calendarfunction, an address book, word processing and spreadsheet capability,and the like. Similarly, the device may be a personal digital assistantwith telephone connectivity.

Data that is backed up may be the names and telephone numbers stored inthe telephone device, calendar data, addresses, files, notes, tasks,graphics, and the like.

It will be appreciated that the first time data is backed up, all thedata in the telephone device will be transferred to the back upfacility. Thereafter, if the telephone device has sufficient memory, theapplication software may be such that it identifies only changes thathave been made to the data since the last back up and only the changesare transmitted to the back up facility, these changes being stored atthe back up facility as patches. Instead, all the data may betransferred every time and the changes that have been made to the datasince the previous back up may then be determined at the back upfacility and the changes stored as patches. The bandwidth of thetelephone network will also determine whether all the data istransmitted from the telephone device to the back up facility or onlythe changes.

A synchronizing facility may also be provided. The data stored at theback up facility may then be accessible via the telephone network from adifferent device, or in another way such as via the Internet, so thatthe data may be suitably modified. Conveniently, the data for severaldevices may be simultaneously varied by an authorized person.

The data stored on the back up storage means may also be accessed by anoperator of the telephone network. Thus, data may be personalized andflagged in a value added manner. For example, telephone numbersassociated with a subscriber account may be flagged as being business orpersonal numbers and accounts may then separate calls and theirassociated costs to the two groups.

The invention extends further to a mobile telephone device that has beenprogrammed with the software as aforementioned. The software may beresident in the memory module of the telephone device or the SIM cardused therewith.

The invention extends still further to a carrier which has the softwaredescribed above thereon.

The invention will now be described, by way of an example, withreference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates the inventionschematically.

Referring to the drawing, a GSM telephone handset 10 is shown. Thehandset 10 interacts with a cellular telephone network 12 which includesa number of cells 14 connected to a central exchange 16. Administrationof the network and billing of subscribers is also performed at theexchange 16.

The exchange is also connected to a back up facility 18. The back upfacility 18 has a controller 20 and a storage device 22. The back upfacility 18, in turn, is connected to the Internet 24 via an ISP (notshown) or the like. A computer station 26, associated with the owner ofthe handset 10, is also connected to the Internet 24 via an ISP (alsonot shown).

The handset 10 has a SIM card 28 and a processor and internal memory 30.Data such as names and phone numbers is stored on the SIM card 28 andthe memory 30. Other data, such as addresses, information associatedwith the stored names, appointments, notes, tasks, files, etc may alsobe stored in the internal memory 30, depending on the sophistication andfunctionality of the handset 10.

The SIM card 28 also has stored thereon application software to performa back up operation to back up the data in the SIM card 28 and theinternal memory 30 to the back up facility 18, via the telephone network12. The application software is downloaded to the handset 10 via thetelephone network from the back up facility 18. Thus, in operation, atregular intervals, the controller 20 of the back up facility 18 sends anSMS message to the handset 10 which initiates the back up procedure. Onreceipt of the initiating signal, the application software causes thehandset 10 to call an appropriate number which connects the handset tothe back up facility 18 via the network 12 and data is transmitted tothe back up facility 18 and stored on the storage device 22. The data istransmitted in an encrypted form. As discussed above, depending on thesize of the memory on the SIM card 28 and/or the internal memory 30, andthe bandwidth of network 12, either all the data or only the changesthat have taken place since the last download, are transmitted. If auser of the handset loses his data, he can upload it from the back upfacility 18 via the network 12.

It will be appreciated that with a personal digital assistant havingtelephone connectivity or a more sophisticated handset 10, theapplication software to perform the back up operation may be stored ineither the SIM card 28 or the internal memory 30 thereof.

The user of the handset 10 can also modify and access his data stored onthe storage device 22 from the computer station 26, via the Internet 24.Clearly, this could be done from any location. The application softwareresident in the handset 10 may then also synchronize the data thereonwith the data stored at the back up facility 18. If the handset 10 isused for business purposes, then the data stored in the back up facility18 for a number of handsets 10 used by employees of the business couldall be modified and updated by a supervisor. The supervisor, or theuser, could also flag numbers to indicate if they are business orpersonal in nature. The network administrator could then access the datastored at the back up facility for each subscriber and personalize eachsubscribers account.

1. A method of backing up data in a mobile telephone device, whichincludes storing changes that have been made to the data in thetelephone device since a previous back up, in a storage means aspatches.
 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which the data backedup is resident in a memory module of the telephone device.
 3. The methodas claimed in claim 1, in which the data backed up is resident in a SIMcards associated with the telephone device.
 4. The method as claimed inclaim 1, in which the changes that have been made to the data aretransmitted from the telephone device to the storage means, via atelephone network.
 5. The method as claimed in claim 1, in which thedata is received, changes that have been made to the data since theprevious back up are determined at the storage means and these changesare stored.
 6. A telephone device which includes a detecting means fordetecting changes that have been made to data in the telephone devicesince a previous back up, and a transmitting means for transmitting thechanges to a storage means.
 7. The telephone device as claimed in claim6, in which the detecting means detects changes made to data resident ina memory module of the telephone device.
 8. The telephone device asclaimed in claim 6, in which the detecting means detects changes made todata resident in a SIM card associated with the telephone device.
 9. Thetelephone device as claimed in claim 6, which has functionalitiesselected from the group consisting of a calendar function, an addressbook, word processing, spreadsheet capability, and graphics capability.10. The telephone device as claimed in claim 6, which is a personaldigital assistant with telephone connectivity.
 11. Application softwarefor a telephone device as claimed in claim 6, for controlling connectionto a back up f the transfer of data to and from a back up storage means,which includes a change determining means for determining changes thathave been made to the data since a previous back up and for transmittingonly the changes to a back up storage means.
 12. A back up facility forbacking up data from a mobile telephone device via a telephone network,which includes a receiving means for receiving data from the telephonedevice via a telephone network; and a patch storing arrangement forstoring changes that have been made to the data in the telephone devicesince a previous back up, as patches.
 13. A method of backing data in amobile telephone device, which includes receiving a back up initiatingsignal via a telephone network; and transmitting data to be backed up,in response to the initiating signal, to a back up storage means, via atelephone network.
 14. A telephone device which includes an initiatingsignal detecting means for detecting a back up initiating signalreceived, in use, via a telephone network, and a transmitting means fortransmitting data in the telephone device to a back up storage means viaa telephone network, in response to an initiating signal detected by thedetecting means.
 15. A method of maintaining data in a mobile telephonedevice, which includes synchronising data in the telephone device withback up data stored in a back up facility that has been modified from afurther device.
 16. A telephone device which includes a synchronisingmeans for synchronising data in the telephone device with back up datastored in a back up facility that has been modified from a furtherdevice.
 17. A back up facility for backing up data from a mobiletelephone device, which includes a receiving means for receiving datafrom the telephone device via a telephone network; and a storage meansfor storing the received data characterised thereby that the storagemeans is accessible from a further device to modify the data stored inthe storage device.